Shifting from the forest, holding a dead corpse on her back in one hand, and carrying her new born son in the other. The rogue ignored any sign of fatigue that came across her, keeping the child silent in case her attackers were close. Finally the lone woman stopped at the edge of the wood to see the town.
Placing the dead body of her lost dear friend on a tree, she wrapped her child in her friend's shirt. Carefully she placed it in such a manner to cover his ears, last thing they needed was to be spotted right now. She made her way into the village carrying the baby and headed towards the shops, hoping to find her husband. However, she didn't find a trace of him, seems he had already left.
Making her way into the baker's shop, she decided to wait for her husband. The Antivan baker smiled at her widely, staring at the bundle in her arms. "You finally had the little one eh?" He had an extremely heavy accent, "Is it a boy or a girl?" He asked making his way towards them. The new mother kept a hand on a hidden blade, she may of just been with child, however she was still lethal. "It's a boy, have you seen the man I traveled here with...?" She asked as the baker started coddling the infant.
"I saw him run back to your manor, seemed distressed and hurried. Is there something wrong?"
She shook her head, "Nothing wrong, I just need to find him is all."
Looking from the window she searched for him, her husband, the child's father. However he wasn't there and she was growing tense. Ever so slowly she eased her way towards the door. If her husband was home, then it was safe, and no one would do her or the child harm.
(Fenris, Ascher, and Zevran.)
Fenris stood outside his burning home horrified. This is where he'd left his wife and unborn child, where he had stormed out; and fought with his wife. Now their home was aflame and bodies were lying on the ground. He couldn't help but fall to his knees, if only he hadn't left.
Zevran placed his hand on the other elf's shoulder, only to have it shrugged off, while frowning at the sight before them. It was horrible, the charred bodies, the stench of blood, and more importantly the possibility of Marrin's death. There wasn't currently a way into the home because of the fire. The structure itself was in such an condition that the charred bodies whom tried escaping had been caved in upon. It was unstable and looked like it had trapped most of the assassins inside.
None of the small group knew what to do, they couldn't enter, nor could they just stay here. The mage of the group, Ascher, summoned an ice storm as to put the house out at least. After a few moments, the fire was out and the building condemned.
Fenris finally arose, he started back for the town, there was nothing left here for them. He felt like his whole world had been crushed, as if he shouldn't of ever fallen in love. Like he should of kept running, killed his former master and never looked back at Kirkwall or Marrin. That was until he heard a faint sound, it was crying.
In the distance, coming from the town there was a figure. It held a small bundle in it's arms as it approached the men. They took arms, unsure who it was coming to the scene of a former battle. Soon they put away their weapons once they realized whom it was.
Marrin came closer towards the ruined house carrying her newborn son. She was trying to sooth him once more from his crying, however he wouldn't have it. Fenris felt his heart stop at the sight coming towards him, his wife and child were right in front of him. They weren't harmed and were approaching him. Was this a dream?
Fenris felt his body running towards his wife and child. He embraced them, not saying a word to them, being careful not to smoother the infant. Marrin was taken off guard by her husband's sudden display of affection. She parted from him enough to show him their son. He looked at him confused while pulling the fabric away from the boy's ears to see they were more elven. Removing more cloth, he saw the child's gender. Marrin saw him grinning before he wrapped his son back into his previous bundle.
All the while Ascher was looking around for Merrill, she hadn't come with Marrin. Upon catching sight of the baby, Ascher was horrified. That wrap was the same color as Merrill's tunic, once more he caught the sight of blood. Trying o keep hold of himself he and Zevran walked over to the small family.
"Marrin..." He choked down something that wasn't truly there, "Where's Merrill?"
Those two words replayed in Marrin's mind as she shoved the child into Fenris's arms. She turned away from the men as she tried to hold herself together. Fenris took her into his free arm, meanwhile glaring at the mage while growling. Marrin took hold of Fenris's tunic, crying into him. At that moment the group knew something bad had happened.
"She's dead..." Marrin whispered to the point only Fenris could hear. Fenris handed their child to Ascher before fully embracing his Hawke. Merrill and Fenris may not of liked each other, however his wife had lost her closet and dearest friend. Marrin looked over at Ascher, trying to keep herself, "She died protecting me and the child... Merrill saw the men coming for us so she blocked the exits and kept up safe..." Marrin held back tears before continuing. "Finally the assassins broken through, she had a barrier in place, however she couldn't keep it up... So she grabbed me and set the house on fire. Merrill jumped out the window and escaped with me while helping to deliver my child."
The story was amazing, something regular to the tales of the Champion of Kirkwall. However, this time the story didn't play Hawke as the heroin, instead she was the victim and her companion was the savior. Nevertheless, it didn't state how Merrill died.
"How did she die Hawke?" Zevran asked seeing it on Fenris's and Ascher's weary minds.
Marrin turned away from them, holding onto her torso. Finally she turned back towards them and fluffed her hair. "She died delivering my son, Merrill hadn't told me, but when we left the manor she had been hit by a poisonous dagger." Marrin's face darkened. "I watched her die in front of me helpless. There was nothing I could do for her, nothing at all."
Ascher stood there speechless with an rather crushed look on his face. It seemed he didn't know how to take the news. Before his shock fully wore off Marrin continued slightly, "Her body is on the edge of town, near the forest." Before anything else could be said Ascher had handed Fenris the infant and had taken off. Sighing Zevran followed the mage leaving the couple alone.
Running to where Marrin had stated Ascher came across Merrill's body. It had been dead for only a few hours and somehow it still kept some color in its cheeks. He knelt by her, pressing his hand on her cheek, rubbing it softly. He knew she was dead, nonetheless, he wished to touch her one last time. Never again would she say something silly or out of place, no laughs or cute expressions. Merrill was dead, yet his hand was against her neck, feeling for a pulse that wouldn't ever be there again.
"My love died too, he was a brilliant man, strong and courageous." Zevran came up behind him. "His name was Ashnari, a city elf from Denerim, he was the Grey Warden that died facing the archdemon." Zevran gazed upon Merrill's dead body and the man that had loved her. "Before he died he had told me he loved me, however I was a fool and didn't say more than, 'I know.' It was only shortly after he met his demise..." Ascher looked back at Zevran. "The ironic part was he was suicidal after seeing his family again, they hated him you see. Even after he saved them, the city elves wouldn't accept him." Zevran sighed. "Never was the same after that..."
Their attention went back to the body. Ascher played with her hair,soft tears flowing down his face. "How do you recover from this? You said you lost your love, so how do you?" Zevran fell silent, his fist meeting a tree while he arched over on it. "Sadly my friend, you don't. It's something no one can simply be over." Zevran disappeared into the woods leaving Ascher alone, crying.
(Back with Fenris and Marrin.)
The couple had started back into town where they had already started deeper into the city. Within, the two booked a room in an inn, and had bought some minor items for their child. From hereon their money would be held onto tightly. In actuality, traveling back to Kirkwall was now a main choice.
Marrin placed the baby inside a shelf of a worn dresser. She had blanketed it down and made it snug for her son. Smiling, the baby took her finger and cooed, he seemed to be a happy little baby. Of course, he loved to hear his father talk, that in itself could of been why he seemed so happy. Fenris was over at the small writing desk talking in an unknown language.
The baby started laughing when Fenris rambled in aggravation while his mother made mocking faces of Fenris. It was quite funny really, the more brooding the sound the stupider the expression. Soon the child was screeching with laughter. Fenris turned towards his wife, catching her making such a face at the baby. He gave her a questioning look before going back to the desk.
"Alright you, it's time you went to sleep for a while." Marrin carefully picked her son up and started humming to him, trying to dreary him while he was rocked. Fenris caught note of the tune, it had been the one Merrill had sung, catchy tune really, and seemed to make the child drift off to sleep shortly after.
Putting the baby in his makeshift bed, Marrin turned toward Fenris. "What are we going to name him Fenris? We can't call him 'you' or 'kid' all his life. After all, he needs a name." Fenris once more turned away from the desk and to his wife. "Nine months we've expected this child and yet we never could agree on his name." It was true, neither of them could come to an agreeable name. However Marrin had thought of one fitting for their boy. Looking from him to the child she spoke, "Merilyn." Fenris proceeded to also look at their child.
"You want to name our son after a blood mage?"
"If it wasn't for her our son and I would have died."
"I suppose that's true, even still that doesn't excuse-."
"She gave her life for us Fenris, for me and your child."
Fenris and Marrin were now eye to eye, both determined. Finally Fenris sighed deeply and went back to his writing desk. "Fine, his name shall be Merilyn, I suppose you want to put his middle names as 'Ascher' or 'Anders' as well?" Fenris spat. Marrin gave him a spiteful smile, "I was more hoping for 'Sebastian' or 'Varric', of course there are other options, such as naming him after the deceased first enchanter of Kirkwall." Fenris cringed at the last option. "Just name him after Sebastian then." He murmured before heading back to whatever he was doing.
"Merilyn Sebastian Hawke, it flows nicely." Marrin said in Fenris's ear making his body tense. He wife looking down at when he was doing. Apparently he was spending time mapping out their next destination. "That it does..." Fenris replied trying to concentrate on the map. Marrin smiled while she headed off to bed. Shortly after she fell asleep, it had been a long day. One she didn't ever want to repeat.
